This church is located near Juliette. I’m not sure it it’s still in use, but it doesn’t appear to be at this time.
Ephesus Primitive Baptist Church, Circa 1925, Monroe County
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Tag Archives: Churches of Monroe County GA
Forsyth Presbyterian Church, 1884
It’s my understanding that the Presbyterians first organized in Forsyth in the late 1830s. The present church was moved to this location in 1900. According a 1990s Georgia historic survey, there are Carpenter Gothic elements to the architecture now hidden by siding. I’m guessing this was in the steeples. It’s a great old church, nonetheless.
Providence A. M. E. Church, Monroe County
This historic Black church is located in the Maynard’s Mill community. I haven’t been able to locate any history.
Salem Methodist Church, Monroe County
Thomas Glower, Gideon Johnston, Thomas Melton, William Sharp, and Enoch Wallace purchased two acres from Hobson Morgan in 1826 for the purpose of organizing Salem Methodist Church. Beginning as a mission, the congregation was established on 15 May 1826 as a mission. A log church was built, replaced by a more permanent structure around 1860. The present structure dates to 1909. Though the church is no longer active, descendants of its members hold an annual homecoming and do a wonderful job maintaining this idyllic churchyard, one of the nicest in the region.
A small historic cemetery is located adjacent to the church, with burials predating the organization of the congregation. It’s likely a small agrarian community was present here in the early 1800s.
Paran Baptist Church, 1905, Blount
Paran Baptist Church was organized in 1823. The first church structure was built circa 1826. The present building dates to 1905. An adjacent cemetery is contemporary to the establishment of the congregation and is the final resting place of many Monroe County pioneers.
Tabernacle Methodist Church, 1880s, Brent
This congregation was organized circa 1840 and their first church was built of logs, a mile-and-a-half from the present location, perhaps part of the Davis Smith (1793-1868) plantation. Records indicate this structure was built circa 1880-1885.
Culloden Primitive Baptist Church, Circa 1909
Culloden Primitive Baptist Church was constituted on 10 April 1909 and this structure is contemporary to that date. The two-steeple style is mostly associated with African-American churches today but at one time was a widely used form.
Culloden Historic District, National Register of Historic Places
Wrights Grove Baptist Church & Cemetery, Collier
This historic African-American congregation is located west of Forsyth in the Collier community. I haven’t been able to track down any history, but the cemetery has some wonderful vernacular headstones by the prolific but little-known sculptor Eldren Bailey (1903-1987). A few of Mr. Bailey’s sculptures are in museums, but many are long lost. His cemetery memorials represent the breadth of his work and they are quite fragile. Collectively, from the coast to the mountains, they are an important resource which should be better known.
Memorials by Eldren Bailey in Wrights Grove Cemetery
These historic memorials are in varying states of condition and are presented in no particular order.
Banks Funeral Home handled the arrangements for Mr. Brown. This memorial features a flower in the tympanum.
Banks Funeral Home also handled Mrs. Brown’s funeral. Her memorial features a garland of flowers, still in good condition.
Earlie Jones’s memorial was handled by Haugabrooks Funeral Home and the memorial also features a garland of flowers.
Mr. Fambro’s arrangements were handled by Walker’s Funeral Home. The memorial features a garland, placed slightly differently than the others.
Seller’s Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements for Jessie Lee and Jerry Lee Benjamin.
First Baptist Church, 1923, Forsyth
First Baptist Church of Forsyth was established in 1838 as Harmony Baptist Church. Their first home was constructed on this property in 1840. The congregation named was changed to First Baptist Church around 1840, then to First Baptist Church of Forsyth between 1913-1917. The old church building was retired in 1921 and the congregation moved into this structure in 1923. In the interim, services were held in the Bank Stephens Institute and baptisms performed in the swimming pool at Bessie Tift College.
Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, 1907, Smarr
Mt. Zion was organized circa 1840 about a mile south of Smarr. The present church was built in 1907.